Missouri families applying for child care assistance will soon be placed on a waitlist as the state faces an increasing demand for services.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood announced this week it will implement a waitlist, beginning Sunday, for new applicants to the state’s Child Care Subsidy Program.
The department said the number of families receiving child care assistance has increased by 19% since last January, surpassing the available amount of funding appropriated by lawmakers. More than 27,000 children statewide rely on the subsidy program.
“This is not a decision we take lightly,” Commissioner of Education Dr. Karla Eslinger said. “The Office of Childhood remains deeply committed to supporting Missouri families and child care providers. Implementing a waitlist allows us to responsibly manage available funding, protect services for children currently enrolled, and prioritize families facing the greatest challenges.”
Families approved before Sunday and those currently receiving assistance who renew their applications on time won’t be affected, according to the department. Children who are in foster care or receive preventive services will not be placed on the waitlist.
The waitlisted applications will be sorted by the date submitted and the following priority levels:
- Children with special needs, including those who receive Supplemental Security Income or services through the Missouri Department of Mental Health, or who have a physical or mental disability or delay, verified by a medical or mental health professional.
- Children experiencing homelessness.
- Families with an income below 100% of the federal poverty level.
- Families with an income at or above 100% of the federal poverty level.
Many families in the Kansas City region already struggle to find and pay for quality child care. A report from Kids Win Missouri and IFF found nearly 32,000 infant and toddler child care slots and 6,000 prekindergarten spots are needed in the Kansas City region.
Families are also paying 14% or more of their income to cover the cost of care, according to the report. That's double the amount that the federal government considers affordable for a household.
It’s not the first time Missouri’s child care subsidy program has faced challenges. The state previously struggled to keep up with a backlog of child care subsidy payments after switching to a new software, before finally catching up last spring.
More than half of Missouri child care providers faced delayed reimbursements earlier this year after the Trump administration paused federal funding for the state’s child care programs.
